Ice tray



Dec.*16, 1941. v H. B. cQPEMAN 42,263,0(W

ICE TRAY v A Filed Feb. 1'7, 1937 4 sheetg-sheetgz Y l INVENTOR. jfzeZ'(5. Yanmar? ATTORNEYS Dec. 16, 1941. H, B, OPE-MAN 2,266,007

ICE TRAY v Filed Feb. 17, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

. Copeman ATTORNEYS Patented Dee. 16.1941

insu'rs'n- STATE PATENT/4* oFFi'cn-zl ics 'may Haiei B. Copeman, Flint.Mich., assigner to Colm.

man Laboratories Company,

poration ofv Michigan Application February 17, 1937, Serial No. 126,142i1 Chims. (Cl. (i2-108.5)

This invention relates to ice trays v'which are adapted to be placedinthe freezing compartment of domestic refrigerators of the mechanical orgas type.

In the prior art related to trays for freezing Flint, Mich., acorcation, manner of operation:l and design of the means for removingthe metal tray ifrom the refrigerator` shelf.

ice in domestic refrigerators. the tendency has been to design trayswhich form a large number oficev cubes. Many trays have been designedwhich embody devices andmeans forA removing ice cubes, such as rubbertrays and ilexible metal trays or trays having ilexible lcoversthereon,`

but these have either proved to be inconvenient water contained thereinin a very short freezing time to form a large block of ice, said traycon taining means for forming the block of ice so or'cubes for use orstorage of the same. p

,More specifically the-invention relates to the Fig. 9l shows e. rubbertey lining similar to that shown in Fig. 1 but having scoring meansintegral with the inner surface of the bottom of the tray lining forscoring the large ice block k l as it' is lformed in the tray.

and the manner in which it may be'stored in the v tray lining before,being use'dr Figs. 12, 13 and 14 illustrate a plan view andcross-sections of another assembled 'embodiment of the invention, thisembodimenthaving memthe ice block. Figs; 15 and 16 illustrate modiiiedthe depending members.

Fig. 1'? illustrates aimember b forms of zo the-ribs of Fig, 9 and thedepending members of that it may be easily broken up into small blocks vfreezing of the complete block of ice ina very short time and scoringorperforating the blockas it .isfrozen so as to make it easy to breakthe block into small regular portions oi ice when desired. i Y

The invention further contemplates a means for removing the entire icetray from the refrigerator shelf by lining said shelf with a flexiblerubber covering.

-In the drawings: C 3 A Fig. 1 represents a `ilexible rubber tray lininghaving independent sides disconnected at the.

COmelS.

' tend the entire length of the bottom as shown inv Fig. 1 or they maybe formed of a number" Fig. 12 'arranged in upwardly projectingrelation. This member may be used as a tray lining, when formed ofrubber, or as an ice block breaker, when formed of metal. I

In Figs. 1 to 4 is shown a modification of the ,invention in which athin exible rubber tray lining 2n is instructed to at inte e. metal vtray 2i. The sides of this tray lining may exof equally dimensioned sidewalls as shown in Figs. 2'iand 3. These tray liners 20 are held in placein the metal tray 2| by a partition unit or grid .22. This partitionunit may -have a number ofi-partitions corresponding to the divisions inthe side walls of the rubber tray lining l Fig. 2 illustrates a similariiexibie'rubber tray lining having its longer' sides divided inte threeindependent side walls or portions.

Fig. 3 illustrates a flexible rubber tray lining having its` sidemembers and bottom provided with transverse slitsl at regular intervals,said slits extending aboutva third of the way in .from the edge of thebottom. -A metal partition or dividing element is shown 'positioned inthetray.

Fig. 4 shows an ice 'filled rubber,- tray lining of-Fig. l positioned ina metal freezing tray and held in place by 'a partition element. i

Fig. 5 shows the manner in which a side of the rubber tray lining wouldbe stretched to remove it and the blocks of ice contained therein fromthe metal tray.

Figs. 6,7 and 8 illustrate, respectively, the =lo vas shown particularlyin Fig.' 3. On each individual side member.of the rubber tray liners ispreferably formed a soft rubber lip 23 which extends over the side ofthe metal tray 2| to enable the ngers .to clasp the same.

v en the assembly shown in Fig. 4 is lled wi h ice the solid block ofice containing the metal grid 22 may be removed Vfrom the metal trayflby grasping the lips 23, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, between the thumband forefinger, and exerting a pulling or stretching force on the rubbersides of tray lining 20. The result will bethat the soft rubber traylining will decrease in cross-section as it is stretched and willautomatically strip itself from the metal tray. The entire tray lining20 with the partition 22 may be lifted4 from the metal tray 2|. It willthen be possible to store the completed ice block with the rubber-liningin a storage Figs. 10 and 11 show the completed ice block bers'depending into the ice tray for perforating f grallywith the bottom ofthe tray lining. These,

`ice cubes of convenient size. This tray liningcompartment, or to stripthe rubber tray lining therefrom and use the individual cubes forwhatever purpose desired. It will be seen that when an ice block isformed in the unit shown in Fig. 3, any desired number of ice cubescould be exposed at any one time by simply stripping any of theindividual side portions shown generally at 23. The embodiments shown inFigs. 1 to 3 are especially intended to obtain quick freezing due to thethinness of the rubber lindevices have been proposedto loosen thesetrays y but none of them have been entirely successful. I propose toremove the ice tray from the shelf of .the sharp freezing chamber inthesame-manner as I remove the ice blocks from the ice tray itself. Fig. 8shows a plan view of a perforated' soft rubber mat..25 which will bemounted on a refrigerator shelf 28 lshown in Figs. 6 and '1. Thisvflexible rubber mat will be firmly attached to the rear of the shelf 2.5as at 21` and is provided with an outwardly extending pull tab 28. onthe sh'elf 26. When it is desired to remove the tray `v29-from the shelf26 it is necessary only to lift and pull the tab 28 of the soit rubbermat 25 as shown in Fig. 7 thereby stretching it from under the tray.-This will decrease the An ice tray 29 is shown in position.

cross-section of the soft rubber and loosenit fro-m the shelf 26 andwill also serve to strip the rubber 'mat 25 from the tray 29. The icetray 29 may then easily be withdrawnl from the freez ing chamber.` .K

A further modification of the rubber tray lining is shown in Fig. 9where a soft rubber tray lining 30 has Vscoring means 3| formerintescoring means consist simply of ridges in the bottom of the traylining spaced to mark out"- 30 is held as before, in a metal tray, andserves to form a large block of ice 32, shown in Fig. 11, having thescoring marks 33 on the bottom thereof. removed from the metal tray bypulling the lips of the tray lining 30 as previously described withreference to Figs. 1 to 3. It could then be stored in inverted positionin the rubber tray lining V3|) and would rest on the scoring means 3| soa's not to freeze again to the rubber tray lining. Individual ice cubescould be removed from the large ice block 32 by using anice pick orother sharp instrument. These ridges or scoring means 3l can be made toextend up into the ice any desired distance.`

The invention is further illustrated by a modification in which thecompleted ice block has tapered perforations regularly spaced to mark`out the ice cubes. Referring to Figs. 12, 13 and 14 a metal tray 34supports a cover 35, said cover having a large opening 36 so th'at thecover 35 amounts to little more than a rim around the iop portion of themetal tray 34. The metal tray 34 may be lined with a flexible rubbertray similar to that shown in Fig. 1 or it may be lined This large blockof ice 32 would bel with a permanent coating of wax as in the HathornePatent No. 1,932,731, dated October 3l, 1933. Supported centrally of thecover 35 and rigidly attached thereto is an elongated U-shaped bar 31.'Ihis bar has depending rubber projections -38 embedded in it atintervals along .the bar and extending downwardly through the opening 36in the cover 35 substantiallyto the bottom of the tray 34. Theseprojections are tapered in such a manner that they are wider at; the topthan at the bottom and may -be mounted in the bar 31 in a number ofways. Fig. 15 illustrates an enlarged view showing how the `rubberprojection 38 is held in the bal 31. Fig. 16 illustrates another methodof supporting the projections 38 where the metal pin 39 serves as a coreto the rubber projection 40, said pin extending through the bar 31 andbeing bent as at 4| to hold the same in place. The preferredcross-section of the projections 38 is rectangular since this particulartype of projections may -be most easily removed from the completed blockof ice. It-will be noticed that in Fig. 12 the projectionsv38 arealternately at right' angles to each oth'er to more clearly mark out thecorner ice cubes that will ultimately be formed from theice block -madein the ice xtray 34. Of course, these projections 38 might be held inposition in any number of Ways, as for example, they might be formed ona flexible rubber cover.`

When the tray 34 is filled with water and frozen a large block of icewill be formedg' This block of ice may be removed from the tray 34either by running hot 'water over th'e tray or by pulling on theflexible rubber tray lining if one has been provided. The bar 31 maythen be lifted away from the large ice blockQand.

this lifting force will strip the rubber projections 38 from .theirplaces in the ice. It will be understood that these rubber projections,when pulled, will reduce in cross-section from the vtop down and stripthemselves from the ice thus permitting an ea'sy removal of thesame. Theresult will be a large ice blockthat has perforations at regularintervals in the ice. Ice

cubes may be formed from this large ice block either` by the use of anice pick or by placing said complete ice block in a metal tray, similarin part to the lining shown in Fig. 17, and in which there are upwardlyprojecting metal prongs located to exactly coincide with theperfprations in th'e ice block. By making these prongs of slightlylarger dimensions than the rubber projections' 3B and the correspondingholes or perforations in the ice block, the ice block may be broken intocubes by placing it in such metal tray and exerting a sharp downwardpressure on the ice.

As previously indicated `With reference to Fig. 17, the tray lining 42shown thereinl may" be formed of either rubber or metal and, when'vformedl of rubber, will have rubber prongs 43 projecting upwardlyfrom.scoring means 44 in;

i 2,266,007 the1argeiee -b1ock after it-is fitted into the storplaced ina sharp freezing chamber, of a soft rubber lining member removablyarranged in the tray in position to separate said tray from a',substance tobe frozen and having spaced transverse posed of a number ofadjacent separated members, and an ice grid removably positioned with-Vin said lining member having cross grids'js'paced to register with saidslits in the sides of said lining member, said lining 4member beingadapted to loosen said frozen substance from saidr tray when its sidesare stretched from normal shape.

`ed to be, placed in a sharp freezing chamber, of a 'substantially thinsoft rubber lining member remo'vably arranged in the tray in position toseparatesaid tray from ai substance to be frozen, and

5 ing member for extending into said1substance= projections on saidlining member for extending yinto said substance to be frozen to formbreaking grooves in said substance when frozen, said projections havinga height less than the depth of said tray. y

.-3. The combination with 'a tray for containing .a substance to becongealed or frozen and adapted to be placed in a sharp freezingchamber, of a substantially thin soft rubber liningmember removablyarranged in the tray in position to separate said tray from a. substanceto be frozen, and scoring projections onsaid lining member for ex--tending partially through said substance to be frozen to form breakinggrooves in said substance when frozen.

4. The combination'witha tray for containing a substance to be`cngealedbrfrozen and adapted to be placed in a-fsharpffreezig chamber, ofasubstantially thin-soft rubber lining member removably arranged in thetray in position to separate said tray from a. substance to be frozen,and spaced vertical projections on the bottom of said lining memberfor-extending into said substance to be frozen to vform perforationstherein when frozen. .y Q

5. The combination with a tray having a bottom and sidewalls forcontaining a substance Vto be congealed or` frozen and adapted tob'eplaced in a sharp freezing chamber, of a substantially thin soft rubberliningv member'removably ar-r substance when stretched-to 'apoint-whereits cross-section is reduced.

6.- The combination with a tray for. containing a substance to becongealed or frozen and adapted v to be placedin a sharp freezingchamber of a substantially thin soft rubber lining member removablyarranged in the tray in position to separate said tray from a substanceto be frozen, and unconnected spaced prong-like projections on said tobe frozen to form perforations therein when the substance `is frozen,said lining member being adapted to loosen said tray from said frozensubstance whenstretched toa point where itsjcrosssection is reduced.

5 '7.- The combination with a flat bottom tray for containing asubstance to be congealed or frozen in sition to separate said tray froma lsubstance to slits in Vits sides and bottom to form sides coiny b'efrozen, and scoring projections on said lining member for extendingpartially through said substance to be frozen to form breaking groovesin saidl substance when frozen, saidlining member is `being adapted toloosen saidtray from said frozen vsubstance when stretched to a pointwhere its cross-section is reduced. s 8. The combination -with-a fiatbottom tray for containing a substance to be congealed or frozen to andadapted to be placed in a"`sharp freezing chamber, of a substantiallythin soft rubber linto form breaking perforations and grooves in saidsubstance when frozen, said"projections"comprising transverse andlongitudinal ridges 'on the bottom of said lining adapted to extendpartially into :in said substance to be frozen, and prong-like pro`jections spaced `on said ridges adapted to extend substantially throughsaid substance to be frozen;

9. The combination with a tray for containing a s'ubstance to lbecongealed or frozen and adapted :is to be placed in a sharp' freezing.cham-berief a.,

exible'lining 'member'forsaid tray having spaced projections for'extending into the substance Ato be frozen to dene breaking depressionsin said 10. The combination with a. tray having a sub-A` stantially fiatbottom for containing a substance to be congealed or frozen and adaptedto be placed 4,-, in a sharp freezing chamber, of a substantially thinsoft rubber lining removably arranged in to be frozen from the walls ofthe tray and to be substantially conned betweenthe tray and substancewhen frozen, said lining comprising a bottom piece'and substantiallyvertic independent i side walls on each side of saidnected to saidbottom but not to each other, and

stance when stretchedtoa point where its crosssection is reduced.

11. The combination \conducting properties for containinga substance tobe congealed or frozen and adapted to b e placed in La sharp freezing-cliamber, of a soft rubber lining-member removably arranged in therayin position to separate s aid tray froma 'substance i to be frozen,and an ice grid for said tray removably positioned withinthe liningmmnber and vadapted to hold said liningmember in place prior to thefreezing and arranged to cooperate with. said lining member to form icecube compartr ments within the tray, said lining. member'havof thelining member, said lining member being adapted to loosen said tray fromsaid frozen/aub-v stance andsaid grid when distorted from ltsnor- 1.lining member for extending-into said ksubstance `mal mmncormsnsubstance when frozen,- said projections being so the tray in positionto separate the substance tom, each'cont adapted to loosen said trayfrom said frozen subwith a my of good neat inga portion extending abovethe tray and adaptedfto be grasped to distort 'at least a portion'

